Think about it. You ask one strategic question of your customers and the business equivalent of clouds separating and a chorus of angels singing commences simultaneously and immediately; you start to enjoy success as you’ve never seen before. Your branding message, influenced by newly captured insights is clicking. You are building your client base. All because of one question.

Okay, in the end it probably isn’t that simple. At the same time, it’s not that difficult either.

So think about it. What’s the one question you would ask? What is the biggest head scratch that keeps you up at night?

Recently, for hotel heavyweight Hyatt, the question was “How do YOU travel?” The chain learned a lot. And all of it driven towards improving the traveler’s experience. One of the ‘a-ha’ moments centered on the fact that those traveling for business place a high value on trying interesting local cuisine. Think that didn’t start a big discussion in Hyatt’s food and beverage division? I bet it did.

By the way, Hyatt did the whole research project through social media. Smart! Because doing so, allowed the company to gauge guest sentiments in real time on a lot of different topics and in different parts of the world.

When I was growing up, we used to fight over the remote control to the TV. Not knock-down drag out fist fights. No, we employed more subtle and strategic methods, like hiding the remote from the others under a fluffy accent pillow on the couch. Back then, victory belonged to the one who could control what shows came out of that large and heavy box across from the sofa. And make no mistake about it; your symbol of control was control of the remote.

Yes, I know. Childish. But then again, there were more children in the home than adults. And by the way, why didn’t one of us without possession of the remote ever realize that you could change the channel by simply getting up, walking over to the TV and turning the clunky dial to what you wanted to watch? Take THAT, remote hoarder!

We really didn’t think that through.

My guess is there is probably less gamesmanship in most homes these days — at least as it relates to coveting control of the clicker.

And that is due in large part to the convenience of content consumption through tablets and mobile devices. Yes, as you read this blog, there are probably family rooms across America that have three or four people in the same room — all-consuming different TV shows on different devices. If you ask me, I think that’s great! My only caveat is that I hope those families are also carving out other quality time to actually talk to each other.

What we consume and why we consume TV programming on these alternative devices is the subject of a new study produced for the Council for Research Excellence. The full report called “TV Untethered” will be presented next week at a conference in New York. But dribs and drabs of the findings are being released in advance of the event.

“The majority of mobile TV viewing occasions — 82% of tablet and 64% of smart phone — occurs in the home, according to a new study. And the primary driver for consumers watching video on mobile devices is convenience — not to avoid advertising.”

I would have thought avoiding advertising would be a strong motivation for tablet/mobile viewing. At the same time, I am actually glad it’s not. After all, advertisers deserve to have their messages heard too. And many of them find creative ways to do so in these other environments – for example, a TV show is shown (in tablet/on mobile) with “limited commercial interruption.” A win/win for viewers and advertisers.

Also of note from the study, participants overwhelmingly chose dramas and comedies as top genres for tablet/mobile programming. News content was low on the interest level for viewers using these platforms but not surprisingly, news fared much better for viewers of traditional TV sets.

I still watch more TV on an actual TV, but I do find myself using my iPad from time to time. I have not yet watched a TV show on my smart phone.

I’d love to know your thoughts on the few facts I’ve shared from the CRE study and more importantly, please sound off and let me know how tablets and mobile have (or have not) changed your own personal TV viewing habits.

By the way, when I had control of the remote back in the day, my family was forced to watch CHiPs, Love Boat, Soap, Happy Days and Welcome Back Kotter.

When I was growing up, I would often tell people I had the best big sister in the world. I would tell them that because it was true.

Reaching the masses to spread that gospel though, was a little cumbersome. Let’s face it. It had to be a person-to-person messaging campaign. Reach and frequency was low!

Today though, with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and all the other flavors of social media out there, I can actually tell the world that very same message from all those years ago and it is as easy as a few key strokes (including one last spell check). I can share this message again — because it is still true.

Why now? Now, because my sister Julie is about to turn 50. And, at such a significant milestone, it seems appropriate to express my love for her and my appreciation of her for all the great things she’s done for me over the years. Not that I don’t love her and appreciate her every day. I do. Again, it’s ‘the 50 thing.’

If you’re thinking, ‘Hey Joe — just give her a card that expresses how you feel about her.’ I’ll do that. But somehow, telling the world how amazing she is seems more fitting. So that’s what I am doing.

Over the years Julie has supported me in more ways than I can remember and never once did she do it with the expectation of a ‘thank you’. She just did it. I recall how she helped me financially — when I was a struggling and irresponsible college kid. More importantly, she supported me emotionally when ‘life’ happened along the way — in both good and not so good ways. But that’s what’s so great. She’s tied-in so tightly to all the things that I look back on as significant in my life.

I don’t see Julie as much as I would like to. We’re all so busy. But I think of her every day. And when I think of her, it’s always a good feeling. I think of her when I hear certain songs (anything by the Indigo Girls) — I think of her when I hear the phrase ‘great parent’ because she is one, along with her partner Cheri. The list could go on.

So, in closing, I simply say, “Happy 50th Birthday Julie. Thank you for being the greatest big sister in the world.” And, I am sure our brother Ed feels the same about his little sister. And now the world knows too!

My feet hurt. And I have some cramps. Despite all that, I still feel amazing.

Yesterday I took part in my first Pat’s Runin Tempe, Arizona. For those who don’t know, the Pat in Pat’s Run is Pat Tillman, the former NFL football player, who, inspired by the events of 9/11, selflessly left the game and the big money — trading it all for a United States Army Uniform and the opportunity to fight for his country. He lost his life in that fight.

Certainly, Tillman himself — the way he lived his life, his principles — was a source of inspiration for someone like me (not a regular runner) to join the masses on a Saturday morning.

But what happened in Boston last week also got me off the couch.

In every year before this one, when I heard the phrase “Boston Marathon”, I thought ‘big race, lots of people’ and then I didn’t give it a second thought. It wasn’t a big deal to me.

It’s all different now.

I should tell you, my finishing time for Pat’s Run was … well — I don’t even want to tell you. But as they say, at least I did it.

As slow as I ran yesterday, I still feel like I qualify for Boston in 2014.

Maybe not to run.

Probably not to run.

But to be there.

To support and make next year at least one person stronger than this year. To prove that one insidious act of terrorism won’t keep people away. In fact, it might draw people closer. Just being there, for me, seems like something just as good as crossing the finish line.

I say WalMart, some say “People of Walmart”, referring to the unfortunate photos captured of people roaming the aisles at the largest grocery retailer in America. Or, you sniff and shrug and say, “I NEVER shop at WalMart.”

I shop at WalMart. But I don’t whisper about it. (I don’t shop there exclusively but I sure spend a lot of my dough there).

And today, there’s a bit of news that makes me feel even better about the place.

An article out today on the website Energy Manager Today, gives a clear picture of the retail giant’s commitment to renewable energy.

One interesting fact; that WalMart intends to plop solar panels atop at least 1,000 facilities by the year 2020. That, and a whole bunch of other energy reduction efforts that are underway are supposed to result in annual energy savings to the tune of $1 billion.